Reduced catches of small oceanic 'forage' fish like sardines and anchovies may be required in some ocean areas in order to protect the larger predators that rely on these species for food. This is a finding of the first major study of the ecosystem effects of fishing forage species: 'Impacts of fishing low trophic level species on marine ecosystems', reported today in the journal Science. Dr ...

Reduced catches of small oceanic ‘forage’ fish like sardines and anchovies may be required in some ocean areas in order to protect the larger predators that rely on these species for food. This is a finding of the first major study of the ecosystem effects of fishing forage species: ‘Impacts of fishing low trophic level species on marine ecosystems’, reported ...

Global fish production has reached an all-time high, according to research done by Nourishing the Planet (www.NourishingthePlanet.org) for the Worldwatch Institute’s Vital Signs Online publication. Aquaculture, or fish farming—once a minor contributor to total fish harvest—increased 50-fold between the 1950s and 2008 and now contributes nearly ...

Research supported by the soybean industry is looking to convert some farm-raised fish into vegetarians. A South Dakota State University fisheries scientist is developing a soy protein feed that's tasty and easily digestible to eventually reduce the industry's need for using wild-caught fish as food for farm-raised fish. Much of the tilapia, Atlantic salmon and catfish that Americans toss into ...

In Europe, some fisheries have been driven to near collapse - most notably cod stocks in the North Atlantic. A recent study warns of the potential dangers of using a single-management technique across a whole species. Instead, distinct populations should be identified with tailored management techniques where necessary. Over-fishing and a changing climate are placing extreme pressures on many ...

Fifty-two FAO Members attending the 11th session of FAO’s Sub-Committee on Fish Trade in Bremen, Germany have endorsed a set of technical guidelines aimed at promoting responsible international trade in fish and fishery products. The voluntary guidelines are intended to help countries ensure that “international trade in fish and fishery products do not compromise the sustainable development of ...

Olley's Fish Experience in Herne Hill, South London has become the first fish & chip shop in the UK to add a total of eight MSC certified species of fish to their menu. It now offers the widest choice of MSC certified fish in the country. Meeting customer demand for sustainability Harry Niazi, owner of Olley’s said: "Over the past few years we have come to realise how ...

High-level delegations of fisheries ministries from more than 50 countries are gathering in Agadir for a summit with industry players to discuss emerging governance needs in a sector that provides the world with 17 percent of its animal protein and developing countries with more export revenue than meat, tobacco, rice and sugar combined. The globalization of the fish trade, ...

London Fish & Chips in Covent Garden, is the first traditional fish and chip shop in the capital to be MSC certified, proudly boasting the blue ‘Certified sustainable seafood’ ecolabel on its menus. The MSC label means that the fish is from a source which has been independently certified as sustainable, and that their purchase supports sustainable fishermen around the world. ...

After two years of independent scientific analysis, the blue mussel fishers of the ‘Niedersächsische Muschelfischer GbR’ are entitled to mark their catch with the internationally recognised MSC ecolabel for sustainable fishing. Certification to the MSC standard verifies that there are sufficient mussels for the future, marine ecosystems remain intact and that management rules ...

Fisheries experts will be stocking 6,000 barbel at several locations in Yorkshire this week as part of the Environment Agency’s ongoing plans to develop and restore rivers in the region. All reared at the Environment Agency’s fish farm, 3,000 barbel will be stocked into the River Dearne at five locations between Barnsley and Adwick-upon-Dearne and 3,000 barbel will be stocked into the ...

Warming of coastal areas due to climate change is already having an important impact on fishing catches in the North Atlantic, according to a new study. The study also suggests that rising levels of nitrogen pollution, due to run-off from farming and sewage disposal, will pose a serious threat to fisheries in the near future if left unchecked. At the World Summit on Sustainable Development in ...

Ladies and Gentlemen, I will be brief… I can see many of you are eyeing up the delicious samples on offer here and this is precisely the purpose today: showcase our "EU farmed fish"! I am delighted to be here today to highlight the benefits of eating, fresh, locally produced fish. In other words, fish farmed here in the EU. When I say "fish", I mean of course both finfish and shellfish. I ...

On 26 November, the European Commission, negotiating on behalf of the European Union, and Norway agreed on the fishing possibilities for 2008 for the seven main jointly managed fish stocks in the North Sea. The agreement is based on the latest available scientific advice and takes account of the need to ensure sustainable fisheries. For those stocks which are in poor condition (herring, whiting), ...

Countries took a major step forward in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing today as they endorsed a set of international guidelines that will hold states more accountable for the activities of fishing vessels flying their flags. The FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance spell out a range of actions that countries can take to ensure that vessels ...

Fish farms, and other forms of aquaculture, are seen as a potential solution to meeting increasing global demand for seafood. However, according to recent research, they must reduce their reliance on wild fish for animal feed if current production levels from both aquaculture and wild fisheries are to be maintained. As the world’s population heads towards the 9.3 billion mark, ...

More people than ever before rely on fisheries and aquaculture for food and as a source of income, but harmful practices and poor management threaten the sector’s sustainability, says a new FAO report published today. According to the latest edition of FAO’s The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, ...

Pacific island nations and conservation groups have failed to persuade the body that oversees tuna fishing in the Pacific to introduce more stringent measures to protect tuna supply. Negotiations broke down at a meeting in Guam last month (March 26-30) of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), as Pacific island nations – backed by Australia – failed to reach ...

Following a Commission proposal, the Council of Ministers has today decided to list Belize, Cambodia and Guinea-Conakry as countries acting insufficiently against illegal fishing. After several warnings, measures will now come into effect against the three countries to tackle the commercial benefits stemming from illegal fishing. This means that imports into the EU of any fisheries products ...

Following a formal warning one year ago (IP/12/1215), the European Commission today intensifies its fight against illegal fishing by identifying Belize, Cambodia and Guinea as non-cooperating third countries. Despite the Commission working closely with the countries' authorities to set up fisheries management and effective control ...